Selenium levels in human plasma and hair in northern Poland

The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the concentration of selenium in the plasma of 146 residents (65 men and 81 women) and in the hair of 34 persons from the Gdansk region in northern Poland, aged 19-70 and (2) compare the obtained results with data corresponding to healthy populations living in different European countries. Selenium in plasma was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry using the hydride generation method. The mean selenium concentration in plasma of the investigated persons was 73.3 +/- 14.1 mug/L, 76.7 +/- 13.2 mug/L in men, and 70.4 +/- 14.7 mug/L in women. No age-dependent differences in plasma selenium were found in the investigated population. In 20% of the investigated persons, the selenium level in plasma was lower than 60 mug/L. The mean selenium concentration in hair was 0.30 +/- 0.11 mug/g. A positive, statistically significant correlation between selenium concentrations in the plasma and hair of the investigated persons was found. The obtained results indicate that the selenium level in significant part of this population is suboptimal and should be elevated by supplementation with this element.